The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1887-08-25
BEST POLICY FOR THE TEX
AS DEMOCRACY TO PUR-
SUE WITH REFERENCE
TO PROHIBITION.
Views Of Senator John III. Rea.
gan.
PALESTINE. Tex. Aug. 14.lS

PALESTINE, Tex, Aug. IA, 1887.
Editor Gazette, Fort Worth, Texas:
DEAR SIR-Your letter of the 18th
inst. has just reached me, in which you
ask my views in brief as to what
should be the action of the next Demo-
cratic State convention, in order to
harmonize and unity the Democrats
Of Texas. My answer is that we Should
leave the question as to the liquor
traffic where it was left by the State
Democratic convention of last year.
The majority against State prDhibi-
tion in the form IL was submitted is so
largo that it would be unwise, for
some time at least, to re-submit the
question to the people. And it wopld be
equally unwise for the next convcn-
ton to adopt resolution againstpro-
hibition, in view of tho large 9emo-
cratic vote polled for it at the rtcent
election.
lnasmuch Us the last State coiivcn-
tion treated tho subject as non-parti-
san, and as our Democratic governor
recommended the submission of the
question to vote OF the people, and
as our Democratic legislature voted tn
submit tho question to the peopleas o
non-partisan question, at time when
no other than the proposed amend
ments 10 the constitution were to- be
voted on, and that it was known DE-
fore these things occurred that Dc,no-
Gratis were divided in opinion OH this
question, and as this action was had
to test the question of prohibition;
and at the same time TO preserve the
unity and harmony of the Democratic
party, good faith and common fair
ness requires that tho support of or
opposition to prohibition should not
be made test to party fcalty.
1t cannot be presumed that the
State Democratic convention of last
year and Gov. Ross and the State
legislature acted on this subject with a
view to cntrap Democrats who be-
lieved in their good faith, so as to Sc
cure an opportunity to read them out
of the Democratic party, or that they
intended by their action to disrupt the
party. We must presume that they
all acted honestly and in good faith
And if they did it is plain that any
Democrat was at liberty to vote on
either side of this question without
affecting his status III his party.
For myself, l expect TO vote for al
Democratic nominees hereafter, as
have heretofore done, when they arc
fairly nominated, without asking the
question as to whether or not they
were for or against prohibition, and
could not honorably do otherwise
without proving false to the action o.
the State Democratic convention. the
governor and the legislature.
Ifthe question is asked what Iwould
do if a prohibition ticket or candidate
should be in the field, | answer, as
have repeatedly answered during the
canvass, that / would vote for the
Democrat. l would do this without
in any way abating my desire to SCI
the liquor traffic restricted and the
saloons done away with. The prin
ciples of the Democratic party cover
the whole field of Federal politics
and it has always seemed to me thcil
successful maintainance was necessary
to the preservation ofour free consti
tutional system of government tc
the maintenance of the rights Of the
the states and the liberties of the pco
pie; and / could not surrender my
devotion to this great body of politi
cal principles to secure the success o.
any one measure, such as prohibition
however beneffccnt.
1 cannot doubt that the harmony
and good faith of the Democracy o.
Texas will be preserved on some sucf
basis as that herein suggested. Ant
the Gazette is entitled to\he respec
and commendaticn of all good Dem.
ocrats for its efforts to secure Dem
ocratic harmony.
Very respectfully,
| john II. REAGAN.